Medvedev says no progress on key issues after talks with Bush

RIA Novosti Toyako (Japan), July 8 (RIA Novosti) Russia’s President Dmitry Medvedev Tuesday said talks with his US counterpart George W. Bush yielded little progress on key controversial issues, but both sides said they were willing to continue discussions. “There are positive things, and topics that we disagree on. But still there hasn’t been any forward progress,” Medvedev told a news conference after a summit of the Group of Eight leading nations in this resort town of Japan’s northern island of Hokkaido.

Medvedev and Bush met on the sidelines of the G8 summit, which is focusing on the global economy and climate change, Monday.

Moscow has strongly opposed the possible deployment by the US of interceptor missiles in Poland and a radar in the Czech Republic as a threat to its security and nuclear deterrence.

Washington says the defences are needed to deter possible strikes from “rogue states.”

Russian presidential aide Sergei Prikhodko quoted Medvedev Monday as saying at his meeting with Bush that the idea of creating a missile base in post-Soviet Lithuania as an alternative to plans for Poland would be “absolutely unacceptable” to Russia.

Ties between the two former Cold War foes have been strained in recent years over a host of other issues, including differences on Kosovo’s independence and Iran’s controversial nuclear programme.

There is also controversy over the Soviet-era Jackson-Vanik amendment, which restricts Russian-US trade relations.

Washington has also been critical of Russia’s democratic record under Medvedev’s predecessor Vladimir Putin, who is now the country’s premier. RIA Novosti